CO NTENTS
Introduction
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What do they want to say?
4
Contextual research
5
Visual research
5
Develop a Concept
6
Naming & Language
8
Visual Identity Development & Exploration
10
Visual Identity - Logo
14
Visual Identity - Typography
16
Visual Identity - Colour
18
Brand Guidelines
20
Full Identity Production & Application
22
Studio Focus
35
Studio Focus - Vast
36
Studio Focus - Music
38
Studio Focus - Thompson Brand Partners
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INT RODUC T I ON This publication will take you through the stages of building a brand’s identity whilst offering advice and points to consider at the different stages. All designers approach a brief differently, they may look at different stages at different points throughout a brief. This publication simply explains one process that you could undertake in order to build a brand, this is the process used by Samantha Walker when building a brand identity. In addition to explaining the steps the publication includes examples of branding design from the design practise of Samantha Walker and other practitioners. A colour coded system has been applied throughout which will assist the identification of the three sections.
THE ST EP
DESIGN B Y OT HER P RAC T IT IO NERS
DESIGN B Y SAMANT HA WALKER
The publication ends with three studies of studios that work with branding design in different ways.
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WH AT DO THEY WANT TO SAY ? “ B RIE FS ARE RARELY W H AT THE Y A P PE AR TO BE. NO MATTE R HOW TH O ROUGH AND DETAI L E D TH E Y A R E , TH E Y A L WAYS LEAV E SOME THI NG U NSA ID. THIS IS JU ST AS WE L L , B E CAU S E I F C L IE N TS COU LD W RIT E P E R F E C T B RI E FS T H ERE WOU LD B E NO NE E D F O R C RE AT I VE THOU GHT.” - A D R I A N S HAU G HN ES S Y
What is the brand? What does it offer? What does it believe?
Who do they want to speak to? Who are their target audience?
What channels do they want to say it through?
Understanding the brief fully is the first step in the process of building an effective brand identity.You need to find out as much as you can about the brand from the people who work with it. They will have the most comprehensive answers to the questions you need to ask.
The brands primary audience will massively influence the decisions involved in the production of the brands identity. Therefore, you should gain an understanding of this audience with as much detail as possible. Aiming to be as specific as possible is beneficial here. It is helpful to know for example what kind of income the audience would have. This will affect the tone of voice you use in addition to the design decisions.
You should also aim to finalise the deliverables that will be required.
Find out what makes the brand different to it’s competitors. What are it’s key brand attributes? These are some of the main points that you need consider when developing a concept and identity for the brand.You need to identify from these answers what exactly you need to communicate with the brand identity. 4
However, whilst the primary audience is important, you should ensure the decisions you make do not completely alienate other audiences.
The deliverables of a branding brief can vary greatly. A brand may require a complete set of brand guidelines, or they may want you to apply the identity you to produce to a restaurant environment. These deliverables however should be set at the start of a brief as this will allow you to research effectively and plan your project.
RE SE A RC H T IP S
CO N T EX T UAL RES EA RC H After you have a comprehensive understanding of what the brand does and how it wants to present itself, contextual research surrounding the brands field should be carried out. This can be as short or extensive as you feel it needs to be, as this step is about you having the best understanding of the field and you may already have some knowledge in the area. This stage of the process is also key to potential conceptual development.
VISUAL RES EA RC H Visual research can again be as broad, extensive or as short as necessary. Every brief will require different levels of visual research and designers will take different things from this stage. Seeing what other similar brands are doing with their identities and how they are communicating through them will provide inspiration in addition to allowing you to be original.
Start a categorised library of visual research, and put your interesting or inspirational finds into appropriate organised categories such as by sector or area of design. This will give you a collection of inspiring design to look back on in future briefs. Make simple notes of any important contextual research. Summarise findings rather than copying and pasting full articles. Don’t just use the internet. Magazines, journals and books can provide information and inspiration you may not find as easily online.
DE V EL O P A CONCE P T
Once you have an in depth understanding of what the brand is about and what they want to say, and you have thoroughly researched appropriate areas you can start to work on and develop a design concept. A concept is the key message you are trying to communicate and how you are going to communicate it. It is the logic, thinking and reasoning behind the design decisions you make. The concept will be used throughout the different channels in which the brand communicates, from its logo and use of language to the deliverables the identity will be applied on. This will ensure the brand products are all expressing the same message. Having a written concept at this stage may help in later stages to look back at. This can sometimes help to clarify a concept before you begin designing. 6
“CL I E NTS E N JOY T E L L I N G FR I E N DS, B U S I NE SS AS S OCI ATE S A N D O F COUR SE TH E I R OW N CL I E N TS A B O U T WH Y TH E I R PA R T I CUL A R I D E N TI TY L OOKS T HE WAY I T DOE S. S O I T H E L P S I F YOU CA N GI VE TH E M A S I MP LE , STR A I GH T F O RWA R D, U NP RE TE N TI OUS B AC K STORY. ” - FR OST DE SI GN
NA M I N G & L A NGUAGE
“A WO RD CL ASSIF IES SO ME THI NG , K E E P S I T DIST I N CT F ROM OTHE R THI NG S , A ND , A B OVE ALL ELSE, BESTOWS S OC I A L L Y R EL E VA N T MEANINGS TO I T. � - MARC EL DANESI
It is important to understand how a name communicates a brands ethos just as much as the visual elements and the way it visually communicates. Naming is an important and influential strategy applied by brands, as in addition to assisting the identification of one brand over another, the name also embodies and communicates a tone and personality through linguistic association. The combination of the name along with the visual identity and the ways in which these elements connote the values and character of a brand, are the factors that together portray a brand to an audience. 8
How will the brand speak to people? Language and tone of voice are also areas you should identify at this stage. Will the language be formal? Will the brand be light hearted and playful? The tone in which you speak to your audience will have a huge affect on the way it is perceived. This should work with the character of the brand. Consider your audience and the type of product your are branding and consider the most appropriate way for the brand to speak to them.
Word Association Word association can assist the production of a brand name. Start to jot down all words that come to mind when thinking about your brand concept. From these words other words may come to mind and you can start to explore these or through process of elimination remove less appropriate names.
Ev Coffee House - Samantha Walker The concept of this brand is based around the history of the coffee house and its Turkish origins. The coffee house aims to bring the historical elements back by including the Turkish theme throughout it’s branding. The name needed to reflect this in both sound and meaning.
name also has a Turkish sound which is appropriate. Also, the name in combination with the visual identity works perfectly to communicate the concept.
Ev means ‘home’ in Turkish, therefore suggesting the home of the coffee house. Whilst this may not be obvious to many the
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VI S UA L IDENTITY DEVE L O PM E NT & EXPLORATION
Brand visual identities act as communicating systems for brand personalities. Producing the elements that build the identity is where you visually communicate the brand concept you have developed. This stage involves all elements that together visually represent the brand, from the logo, typefaces and colour to any other visual elements the brand may have. These together should create a clear brand that communicates the purpose, ethos and essentially the identity the brand is aiming to project, and this should be applied consistently across appropriate products. This section of the book will break down some of the key elements to consider when producing a brands visual identity. 10
Development & Exploration Exploring different avenues is an important part of the development process for visual identities. Every designer will work differently in the development stages of a brief, but it is rare to find the best outcome with the first idea or drawing. Starting on paper with rough drawings is helpful as this is a quick way to begin to visualise ideas that you can then dismiss or develop. Different briefs may require different levels of development and exploration. For example if a hand rendered technique is going to be used then repetitive attempts may be required to achieve the desired look. Processes may also need to be tested and again this is dependent on the brief.
Marsupial - Label Media When producing the identity for music brand Marsupial, Leeds based studio Label Media hand drew their idea of the sound wave based on the letter M for the logo many times before finalising. This gave a desired flow to the mark that was key to signifying the fluidity of a sound wave.
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ROB ERTS & TAY LORS SAMA N T H A WALK ER
Roberts & Taylors is an independent butchers shop in Leeds. It wanted to attract local consumers to shop at the store rather than using larger supermarkets. The aim was to create a brand that embodied the tradition and craft of butchery, whilst still being approachable and welcoming. Through the development stage of this brief hand rendered techniques were used to try and communicate the craft of butchery. Woodblock type printing was also attempted using the font Perpetua. This again was done to connect to the tradition and craft of butchery. Woodblock printing was appropriate due to the age of the technique and the way in which it is a craft in itself. The result was interesting, printed text with texture from the natural imperfections of the process. However, this process wasn’t appropriate or as cost effective for the mass production of the products needed. 12
The final decision was to use a rubber stamp in order to apply the logo on certain products. This gave a unique print each time, similar to the woodblock type, whilst being more cost effective and easier for the store owners to do themselves.
See the complete Roberts & Taylors brand on page 32.
This technique also links to the way in which meat is often stamped as a sign of quality.
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VI S UA L IDENTITY L OGO
“ P RESENT T HE CORE IDEA OF T HE O RGANIZAT IO N WI T H IMPAC T , B REVIT Y A N D IMMEDIAC Y. T HE LOGO E N CAPSUL AT ES T HE B RAND.� - WALLY O LINS
A brands logo can be anything from an image, symbol or mark, or it could be purely typographical. A logo acts as the key identifier of the brand, but it should always be considered as part of a wider brand identity. The logo of a brand should represent the key concept and attributes of a brand and these can be communicated through visual association and symbolism. A brand can have different versions of a logo, but there will normally be one primary logo. Other simplified versions can also be used and applied if necessary. 14
Skinner & Hackett - Erica Boucher Skinner & Hackett is a high end butchers shop selling sustainably sourced meat. The logo has two variations and uses a combination of simple, contemporary typography with the image of a butchers knife. These two elements together suggest the craft of butchery and the more contemporary nature of the brand. Elements such as the typically blue butchers colour and the knife ensure the brand function is
clear. The way in which the knife illustration is simple with little detail, will practically allow for better application of the brand as detail will not be lost at a smaller scale.
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VI S UA L IDENTITY TY P OG R A PH Y
Typography is another important visual element of a brands identity. Logos are not always image based they are often purely typographical, and when this is the case the font choice is of huge importance due to the way it can communicate brand personality through it’s aesthetic. In the same way that an image creates an impression and communicates, the shape, weight and style of a font can also create an impression and therefore communicate a lot about a brand. Type can look strong, delicate, ornate or traditional among many other characteristics. Fonts should be selected based on how the brand wants to present itself. The fonts you use throughout the branding should also be considered. Whilst body copy fonts don’t give as much character they should be easy to read and work with any display fonts you are using. 16
“ WE DO NOT READ M AST HEADS WE RECOGNISE TH EM. IF T HE ‘GAURDIAN’ A P PEARED T HUS ONE DAY, I BE T MOST READERS WO ULD N OT NOT IC E, AS LONG AS IT WAS IN T HE RIGHT TYPEFAC E.” - E RIK SPIEKERMANN
Chiswick - Frost Design Chiswick is a relaxed, restaurant in a garden setting. The branding has botanical influences throughout the elements, inspired by the garden setting. The typographic logo is a bespoke version of AW Conqueror Didor light. The structure of the font works with the formal nature of the restaurant, whilst the ornate details add reference to the natural elements of
the garden. The brand is applied across a range of products and the typography is complemented with botanical style black and white photographic images.
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VI S UA L IDENTITY COLO UR
“ COLO UR DOES NOT ADD A PLEASANT Q UALIT Y TO DE SIGN - IT REINF O RC ES IT.� - P IERRE B O NNARD Colour choices can have a major impact on the perception of a brand and the overall aesthetic of the brand identity. Colours are perceived to have meanings and these meanings are increasingly important in terms of brand identities, as the colours act as communicators for the brand personality. Colours evoke emotions and people have instant reactions to them.You should consider how you want your audience to feel when they look at your brand. You should also think about the sector the brand is in and what colours are used repeatedly. This could help your brand stand-out. However, you should predominantly think about the message the colour is giving and whether this fits with the way the brand wants to communicate. 18
The Great Catering Co. - Strategy The Great Catering Co. are a lead private and corporate catering business. The aim with their branding was to portray their service as more of an art form and make it more fun, whilst still looking professional, contemporary and desirable. The colours are key to this brand as they give an instant impression of fun and vibrancy, whilst the textures suggest food and give a hand produced
aspect. The colours were created by painting different foods together, creating unique food art. These colourful marks are the key components in the brands identity creating a recognisable, bold visual language. They work perfectly with the brands philosophy of “serving amazing anywhere�.
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B R A N D G U ID EL INE S
Brand guidelines or ‘style guides’ are documents produced to give guidance, rules and direction to assist the application of the brand identity. You should question whether brand guidelines are necessary for the brief and who they would benefit. These documents are not always required, but when they are necessary this is the stage in which they should be produced. Setting application rules at this stage will ensure the rules are followed through the application of the brand. Guidelines can be presented in many different formats and this should be the most appropriate for the brief and brand. The extent of the guidelines is again dependent on the brief and what is required. If printed the guidelines could reflect the aesthetic decisions of the brand in their design. The guidelines do not just have to be about visual application of the brand however. They can explain how language should be used, tone of voice and provide an explanation of the brand and it’s ethos. 20
“ THE REALIT Y IS DIF F ERENT CL IENT S REQ UIRE DI F F ERENT APPROAC HES. FOR SO ME C LIENT S A B RAND BOOK MAKES PERF EC T SE NSE - IT ’S PRO B AB LY GOING TO B E SHARED BE TWEEN A SMALL GRO UP OF PEOPLE, AND MO ST O F TH E WO RK MIGHT B E V ERY GR APHIC DESIGN AND COMMUNICAT IO N-C ENT RED. BUT IT ’S UNLIKELY TO HELP M ASSIVE MULT INAT IO NALS SPANNING DIF F ERENT L A NGUAGES, C ULT URES AND E DUCAT IO NS.” - M AT HEINL
Black Watch Global, Brand Guidelines - Mash Creative Black Watch Global are an intelligence and risk management consultancy. An identity was built with four chevrons which portray the four corners of the globe. These chevrons point to the centre to symbolise how research, analysis, intelligence and communications zcome together to meet objectives. An extensive 40-page set of brand guidelines were designed to show how to work with the brand. They were also considered in terms of their design and how the book itself communicated the brand. The layout of the book and colours throughout reflect the brand personality as equally when the brand is applied to products. 21
FULL I D ENTITY PRO DUCTI O N & A PPL I CATION
Once you have finalised the visual elements that will make up the brand identity, and set any necessary rules you can now start to apply this to appropriate products. These products can range from packaging to websites, restaurant environments, wayfinding, tickets, etc. The brand should be applied to whatever is appropriate to the brief and agreed with the client at the beginning stages of the brief. Following rules and guidelines will ensure a consistency throughout any products you apply the brand to. However, the production methods you will use may differ depending on the product. This is something to consider. The production method you use can also influence brand perception and communication. For example, using more traditional printing processes such as letterpress can signify an element of craft within a brand. Finishing techniques such as foiling and embossing can also give different impressions. 22
Use of different materials and stock can also affect communication. For example, a luxury, high-end brand may be more likely to use a heavier weight, perhaps glossy, coated stock. These are all elements that you should consider when thinking about applying the brand. Again it is very much about what is appropriate for the brief and considering how your decisions will affect the communication of the brand. The following pages show examples of brands that have applied their identity onto different products and sometimes using different processes to assist the representation of the brand attributes.
T H E ORC HA R D JACK R E NWICK S TUD IO - LONDON
The Orchard is a boutique property development in London. This was aimed at the ‘design savvy’ and ‘intellectually cool’, and therefore the brand needed to look contemporary and chic in addition to being unique. The brand name stems from the history of the street as orchards covered the area in the 1700’s. The logo involves a simple image representing a tree grain, with a subtle pear shape in the centre of this. The
addition of the pear puts the apartments at the centre of this historic, cultural area, with the surrounding rigs representing the history. The rings are continued through the imagery involved in the identity. The history of life in the area was told in a 3m etched concrete typographic tree ring, in the entrance area. This providing context for the identity and continuing the visual aspect of the identity. 23
MIN T SAM AN T H A WA L K E R
Mint is a unisex brand of toiletry products, with all products including natural mint extracts. The brand identity needed to appeal to both men and women alike and therefore needed to include as little stereotypically gender specific visuals as possible. The use of a slightly rounded font within the logo is a nod to the natural aspect of the mint ingredients. The type is shaped into a mint leaf shape, in a subtle way with the addition of the full stop acting as a stem for the leaf. A clean and minimal design was used alongside the logo, to work with the aspect of these products being for cleansing the body. The lines applied throughout the range of products balance the softer edges in the logo, working with the unisex nature of the brand. The use of the green colour is a clear link to the main mint ingredient and scent. This is however also beneficial due to 24
this being generally perceived as a unisex colour. The use of both circular and rectangular packaging through the brand again references both male and females as it is not overly sharp or soft. Balance is they key within this brand.
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NO RDIC HOUSE ANAG RA MA - M ex i co
Nordic House is a dry-cleaning store to be opened in San Fransisco, California. The branding is based on Scandanavian design with the use of simple and clean shapes. The colour palette was selected to reference a cool nordic landscape, whilst also creating a clean aesthetic. The high end nature of the brand is communicated with the stripped back, clean design and sophisticated colour pallete. The minimal nature of the brand also works with the brand service which will essentially be cleaning. The clean design is complemented with simple icons, assisting communication whilst not detracting from the aesthetic. The brand has currently been applied to products to be sold and informational products and makes use of coloured stock adding bursts of colour, without being too much. Brand elements such as the icons and logo are repeatedly used, and these are kept consistent throughout with the use of other elements such as the clean lines. 26
“...designed with a stark and reductionist style that captures the brand’s elemental emphasis on honesty, clarity and above all, quality. �
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L OO P SAM A N T H A WA L K E R & GRAC E BUCK L E Y
Loop is an online clothing store specialising in hand crafted knitwear only. Every garment is a limited edition and this element of craft and unique nature needed to be reflected in the brand. However, the primary audience are females aged 18 to 30 and the brand therfore needed to have a current and contemporary look. The aim was to go against the obvious representations of craft and hand rendered products. The visual identity includes a simple logo that can be used as a full logo, and also the infinity symbol can be used alone as an icon. This represents the loops involved in knitting and the continual aspect of fashion. Foil blocking was used to apply the logo onto tags and the cover of a look book. This champagne coloured foil worked with the soft colour palette used throughout the brand whilst also adding a high quality finish, signifying the quality of the uniquely produced garments. This brand is applied across 28
both print and web and is most importantly consistent across both channels. The delivery packaging was designed to give an enjoyable experience, that again reflected the quality of the product. Use of soft materials such as tissue paper added to this. The soft aspect is also continued in the stock used for tags and the look book cover. These have hand torn, soft edges to link to the knitwear. A balance is created throughout the brand application, between contemporary and clean, and a more soft and traditional approach reflecting the craft.
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UN A KIND - N or way
Una is a micro brewery bar. The name Una translates as ‘together’ in Latin, working as an appropriate metaphor for the brands social focus. The branding reflects the craft involved in the production of beer, without being cliché with the use of hand rendered typography or imagery. Custom stock was selected for the menus, which demonstrate the brand’s sophisticated colour palette and again reflecting craft and the unique nature. The brand was applied throughout the bar and all aspects of it’s application were considered such as the signs which were handmade from oak wood and the use of branding irons. This continued the brand experience throughout. The craft element was also continued in the application of the brand onto stationary and with the use of manual embossing and letterpress. 30
“The client wanted a brand that focussed on the craftmanship of the beer production and the social aspect of enjoying a good drink and food alongside good friends.”
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R O BERTS & TAY LORS SAM A N T H A WA L K E R
This identity was created for an independent butchers shop in Leeds. The aim was to attract more consumers to shop in the local store, as opposed to buying meat in supermarkets. Through representing the craft of butchery it aims to bring back the appreciation for the traditional butchers shop. Illustrations were designed to be deliberately offset to create the illusion of a traditional print process, linking to the craft of butchery. These were combined with dissecting lines throughout the brand as key elements. The brand features a primary and secondary logo, giving more flexibility to the client and brand. The secondary logo features the initials of the brand and can be applied at a much smaller scale. The brand was applied to a range of products to be used in store, but also onto a range of packaging and helpful tip cards. These are all convenience items for the consumer. 32
Pale grey and brown stocks were used throughout to work with the orange and blue colour scheme, which stems from more traditional butchers. A key part of the brand application involves the use of a rubber stamp to apply the logo onto such as the bags. This gives a unique print each time and references the idea of meat being stamped to show quality. Development for this brand and can be seen on page 12.
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STUDIO FOCUS
The following studios all work in the field of branding but in very different ways. Branding is such a large field and can cover so many areas. Therefore a studio may have a sector of focus such as fashion or sports, or they may be very broad in the brands they work with. They may also for example focus largely on how brands work in retail spaces, or they may look at brand experiences as a whole. All three studios produce exciting and inspiring branding designs and it is especially interesting to see how diverse they are. 35
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